Unlocking the Invisible with Sony SWIR Picture Sensors

Sony’s Brief-Wave Infrared (SWIR) picture sensors are reworking industries by permitting the detection of supplies and substances invisible to the human eye. That is a part of a bigger push on sensors, a site Sony could be very profitable in.

By harnessing particular wavelengths of sunshine, SWIR sensors seize pictures not solely within the seen spectrum but in addition within the short-wavelength infrared area, enabling superior purposes throughout varied sectors, akin to meals inspection, materials sorting, contaminant detection, and semiconductor manufacturing. We’ve seen a live demo at CEATEC 2024 in Japan.

One key attribute of SWIR know-how is its means to distinguish between supplies based mostly on their absorption and reflection of sunshine at particular wavelengths. As an illustration, water, which normally seems clear in seen gentle, absorbs SWIR gentle, inflicting it to look black.

This property makes it extremely efficient for figuring out moisture ranges in objects, akin to in meals inspection, the place figuring out the presence of moisture will be essential for guaranteeing high quality and security. SWIR sensors, subsequently, enable for the detection of overseas objects and contaminants that may be troublesome or unimaginable to determine with the bare eye.

Moreover, SWIR sensors can even seize high-resolution pictures in environments the place seen gentle is obstructed. Their means to see by mist or smoke enhances their utility in varied purposes the place environmental circumstances can restrict visibility.

This makes them invaluable in precision inspections, the place figuring out minute contaminants or defects will be essential for operational effectivity and high quality management.

Sony’s innovation on this house facilities on its SenSWIR know-how, a wide-band and high-sensitivity SWIR picture sensor. This know-how merges compound semiconductor InGaAs (Indium Gallium Arsenide) photodiodes with silicon readout circuits by Cu-Cu bonding, enhancing the sensor’s sensitivity and efficiency.

SenSWIR sensors provide improved imaging precision, enabling industries to see past the floor and detect the undetectable, enhancing productiveness and inspection accuracy.Sony’s SWIR picture sensors, significantly the SenSWIR technology, are setting new requirements in imaging by capturing invisible wavelengths of sunshine.

Their software in industries like meals security, materials sorting, and semiconductor inspection is revolutionizing how these sectors determine and handle beforehand undetectable points.

Filed in General. Learn extra about CEATEC, Ceatec 2024, Japan and Sony.